I think I've broached this topic before, some time ago. Today, someone hit a raw nerve again. As in, it was no fault of hers. She just happened to bring it up very randomly.
Fact is, I am a man with no dreams.
This was the way I was brought up. I would not blame my parents, for this is what the society requires of us. Dreams, what are they made of? I never knew. In kindergarten, I wanted to be a policeman, because I thought wielding guns and catching robbers was the coolest job on earth. When formal education started, my dreams ended as well. Somehow, it was drilled into me to study, study, study. I never studied for myself. I studied because my parents wanted me to get good grades. My dream was to get outstanding grades in my exams. My ambition was to top my class for exams. But somehow, as the days wore on, it became more of a chore. As I grew up and learnt more about this world, I realised that getting good grades only put me on par with the rest of my peers. There was nothing special about it. It does not guarantee you a great job, beautiful wife, adorable kids, happy family. Look at my parents. Both of them were university grads. Look at them now. Sure, in terms of income we are more than comfortable. But life's much more than that ain't it? My dad's lamenting everyday about selling his youth to his job. And it definitely is not uncommon to hear similar complaints from people in his age group. Where can good grades get you?
Is our life like a flow chart? Go through formal education, do well enough to get a degree, hopefully maybe a masters or even a PhD. Then, find a high flying job which requires 20hrs from you everyday. Hopefully, in the remaining 4 hours, you manage to meet some lady who is as sick of partying and ready for marriage as you are. Then settle down, make babies, get your child reliefs and baby bonuses. Work for 30 years. Watch your kids grow up. Retire at about 60, when you can finally do what you want, but no longer have the energy to do so. That is, assuming that you don't die of some unknown disease before that.
What about quality of life? What about happiness in our lives? Is there all that is to life?
In school, everybody says, set a goal, work towards it. There will be more positive motivation, and maybe one day you will really get there. Want to be a lawyer? Work on your English. Want to be a Doctor? Study hard for Biology. Want to be an engineer? Practise your algebra and calculus everyday. Set a goal, have a dream, work towards it.
I say, for what? Are these really our dreams, or dreams moulded by the society's expectations?
Say, a primary school kid goes to his teacher, and tells his teacher, " Teacher, I want to be a magician!" Guess what the teacher would say. And guess what happens if he tells that to his secondary school teacher, jc/poly lecturer?
Has anyone ever wondered why Singapore can never produce a local sporting talent good enough for the international sporting arena? Everybody has accepted that fact. Nobody has ever questioned it, because almost everyone knows the answer. Look at the recently concluded Olympic Games. Ask yourself, how many athletes down there have gone through at least 10 years of formal government education? These athletes, since a tender age, have been training full time, till they finally make it into the national team and if fate permits, manage to take part in some major sporting event. In fact, even after years of training, many fail to make the cut. But in many other countries, parents are willing to send their kids to such trainings, and give up on studying. How many Singaporean parents have the courage to pull their kids out of primary school to train full time for a sport, all the way till they come of age at about 18-21 years old. That, is following a dream.
So, what is a dream? What are dreams made of? I don't know. I may never know.

如过把整个浴缸的水倒出,
也浇不熄我对你爱情的火.

整个浴缸的水全部倒得出吗?
可以.

所以,是的.
我爱你.

=)